People shocked after hearing exactly what happens to your body if you die in a plane crash

A video on YouTube has been getting a lot of attention  and not in a comforting way. It dives deep into what happens to the human body in the event of a fatal plane crash, and it’s left many people shaken.

While air travel is statistically very safe, just hearing the details of what could happen if a crash does occur is enough to make some people think twice about stepping onto a plane.

The video, shared by the channel Grunge, starts by reminding viewers that flying is still one of the safest ways to travel. In fact, you’re much more likely to be in a serious car accident than to die in a plane crash.

Reports even show that between 1983 and 1999, 95% of people involved in plane crashes in the U.S. actually survived  even in some of the most serious incidents. That’s a comforting fact. But of course, the video goes on to explore the much darker side  what happens when someone doesn’t survive.

In the unfortunate case of a deadly crash, the physical damage to the body can be extreme. The narrator explained that the injuries are often so severe that it can be hard for investigators to even describe or list them properly.

Things like body disintegration, limbs being separated, or even skin being torn off are not uncommon. Other major injuries include deep cuts, crushed bones, and serious internal damage. The violence of the impact, the size and speed of the plane, and whether it crashes in the air or on land all affect what happens to the passengers’ bodies.

If a plane breaks apart while still in the sky, which can happen if the aircraft suddenly decompresses, it can actually pull seats and passengers out into the air. In some crashes, parts of the body have been found far away from the actual crash site because of this.

As terrifying as this all sounds, the video did mention one small comfort: people who die in a crash usually lose consciousness almost instantly. If a crash happens suddenly at high speed, the body reacts fast the neck can snap, the spine can break, or the brain can be damaged in such a way that the person would likely die within a second or two. This means that there is little to no time to feel pain or be aware of what’s happening.

An example was given from a 1950 crash of a Viking plane in heavy fog near London. A medical report said all passengers had injuries that would have either instantly killed them or knocked them out before death. These included skull fractures, ruptured hearts and lungs, and broken spines.

After watching the video, some viewers were so disturbed by the details that they said they’d avoid flying altogether. One person commented, “I’m never flying again,” while another admitted they weren’t afraid of flying — just the idea of crashing. Others shared their fears about how fragile the human body really is, and one person even joked that while both cars and planes can have problems, cars don’t drop out of the sky when they break down.

In the end, the video served as a harsh reminder of just how vulnerable we are in extreme situations, but also how rare those situations are. For most people, flying remains a safe, fast, and common way to travel. Still, hearing what could happen in a worst-case scenario is enough to make anyone feel uneasy, especially right before getting on a plane.